Wire wall construction



Dec. 18, 1962 E. T. ELFGREN `3,069,120

WIRE WALL CONSTRUCTION Dec. 18, 1962 E. T. ELFGREN 3,069,120

l WIRE WALL CONSTUCTION Filed Jan. 26, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENT OR.

ERNEST 1'. ELFGREN 3,969,12) Patented Dec. 18, 1962 ffice 3,069,120 WIRE WALL CONSTRUCTION Ernest T. Elfgren, Tumbleweed Bldg., Berwyn, Nebr. Filed Jan. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 788,931 8 Claims. (Cl. 2451) This invention relates to wircpanel connections and more particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a wire panel connection assembly the panels of which are connected with great' strength, simplicity and economy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction for connecting together wire panels which are disposed in end-to-end alignment in the same plane, panels which are disposed end-to-end at a right angle to each other and panels which are disposed at a right angle to each other in which a first panel meets a second panel in the middle, in each of which alternate configurations certain oli-set portions of one of the panels are used to hook about and firmly hold wires of the other panel.

A further object is to provide a connection assembly wherein a first and a second wire panel are disposed with their ends overlapped and bound together by a connection member or in another sense by a special and third connection panel of relatively narrow shape and provided with off-set portions hooking about wire of each of the first and second panels for binding the first and second panels firmly together.

A further object is to provide a wire connection which is adapted to firmly attached a first wire panel to a rigid structural member such as a studding in which the connection is made by a second wire panel bent around the studding and provided with ends having off-set hooking portions hooked about the first panel.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied. Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural chan es may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a frontal elevation of a connection assembly for connecting two aligned wall panels.

FGURE 2 is a view-in-section taken along the lines of 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a connection assembly for connecting two aligned wall panels by use of a third or connector panel, FIGURE 3 being a modification or other use of my new connection principle.

FIGURE 4 is a viewinsection taken along the lines 4 4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a frontal elevation of a third modification in which the new connection principle is used to attach a studding to a wall panelwith the aid of a wire attachment member extending around the studding and attaching it to the wall.

FtGURE 6 is a plan view of the construction shown in FIGURE 5, the studding being shown in cross section as would be seen from the top of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is a view-lnsection taken along the lines of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE S is a fourth modification of the invention in which twopanels at a right angle to each other are attached by means of my connection principle.

Referring to FIGURE l, it will be seen thatthe wire panel connection assembly there shown has a first panel generally indicated at iti having at least two spaced con- 'ing two wall panels.

nector wires of which three are shown at 12 in FIGURE l. Each connector wire 12 has a connection portion 16 adjacent but spaced from one end 18 thereof. The connection portions 16 are offset from the remainder of the wires 12 respectively for a purpose later described.

The panel 1t) also has at least two transverse wires 19 extending transversely to the connector wires 12 and preferably at a right angle thereto. Two of the transverse wires 19, as indicated by the letters A and B are disposed one on each side of the central part 2li of each offset connection portion 16. Each of the transverse wires A and B is attached to the connector wires 12 by suitable means such as welding 26 on each side of the central part Ztl of the offset connection portion 16. It is preferred although it is not critical that the transverse wires A and B be disposed inside of the connection portion 16.

The wire panel connection also has a second panel generally indicated at 3b which has at least two spaced primary wires 32 extending in approximately the same direction as each other and also the second panel has spaced secondary wires 36 extending transversely to the primary wiresl 32; the primary and secondary wires 32 and 36 are preferably disposed at a right angle to each other and are suitably connected together such as by means of welding d@ at their intersections. The first and second panels It) and Ztl are placed in engagement with each other with the connector wires l2 disposed parallel to and closely adjacent to the primary wires 32 of the second panel.

It is to be understood that the connector wires 12 are approximately straight throughout the majority of their lengths and with the exception of the offset connection portion le; and also that the transverse wires 19 and the primary secondary wires 32 and 36 of the second panel 294i are all straight wires whereby the panels ltl and 30 each lic in a plane.

When the two panels are placed alongside each other they Iare preferably overlapped as shown in FIGURE l and the spacing apart of the secondary wires 36 of the second panel 30 is preferably such that they can be disposed one on each side of the pair of'wires A and B of the first panel Ill.

The connection is then made by permit-ting the panels to engage each other and by permitting the offset connection portion 16 of the connector wires 12 to extend between the secondary wires 36 of the second panel 3i) and to lap across the top side of each of the primary wires 32 of the second panel 3l), the outer ends of the connection portions 16 each being bent back toward the first panel 10 whereby each connection portion forms a hook, as seen in end view in FIGURE 2, whereby they hook the panels together since they each extend across the top and bottom, or in other words two offset sides of each of the primary wires 32 of the second panel Sil.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the, connector wires 12 of the first panel are relatively straight except for the offset connection portions 16 and also it will be seen that those portions 44 of the connector wires 12 which are disposed at the terminal ends of the connector wires 12 are disposed on the opposite side of the respective secondary wire 36 from the side of the second panel 3@ across which the connection portions 16 are hooked.

Referring to FIGURE 3, we see a modification of the invention in which a different wav is provided for connectln FIGURE 3 there are two wall panels, D and E connected by a connection panel F.

The panels D and E are preferably parallel and over- 1 lapped and each lie in a plane although this planar con- S9 extending in approximately the same direction and preferably disposed in parallelism and also has spaced secondary wires S2 which are disposed transversely to the primary wires 50 and which are connected thereto at their point of intersection by suitable means such as welding SS.

The panels D and E are overlapped and are disposed in engagement with each other.

The panel E also has criss-cross wires comprising primary wires 69 which preferably extend parallel to the primary wires 52 of panel D and which are preferably in parallelism. The panel E also includes secondary wires 62 which are disposed transversely to the primary wires 662 of panel E and preferably to the right angle thereto and which are connected thereto by suitable means such as welding at 70.

The primary wires 60 and secondary wires 62 of panel E are preferably each two or more in number and it will be understood that normally they will be used with very large panels of which only a minute part are shown in FIGURE 3.

A third or connector panel F is disposed against the backside of the panel D which is the offset side of the panel D from that side on which the panel E is disposed. The panel F comprises a plurality of connector wires 80 which later are spaced apart and in arrangement in approximate parallelism with each other, and are of serpentine shape having connector portions 82 which are disposed offset downwardly from uppermost parts of the connector wires 80, the uppermost parts of the wire 80 comprising end parts 84 and a central part 86. The

lcentral part 86 connects the upper ends of each of two spaced apart downwardly depending hook-like connector portions 82. The connector portions 82 each extend from an upper end part 84 downwardly and then back upwardly to the central part 86.

The connector panel F further has transverse wires 88 which latter are preferably three in number. It will be seen that two can be used effectively in cooperation with one hook or connection portion 8'2 although three are preferred used with two hook-like connection portions 82.

The panels D, E and F are arranged in that order with the panel D in the center although the order of the panels D and E is not important. It is important, however, that the panel F be on one side of the two panels D and E whereby its hook-like connector portions 82 extend across the `tops of primary wires 50 of the panel D and downwardly across the wires Sli and also across wires 62 of the panel E which latter are disposed alongside of, touching and immediately beneath the wires 50. The connector portions 82 are hook-shaped, as seen in end view, with outer ends which bend back toward the panel F extending around the lower side of the wires St) and 62 whereby in effect the hook-like connections S2 wrap around and lap across two opposite sides of the wires S2 and 62 for hooking the panels D, E and F together into a rigid unit of great strength.

Referring to FiGURE 5, a third modification of the invention is there shown in which a similar inventive principle is represented. In FIGURE a panel G is there shown having primary wires 100 which are disposed in spaced parallelism, preferably, and secondary wires 102 which are disposed in spaced parallelism with respect to each other and which latter are transversely disposed of the wires 100 preferably at a right angle and with the intersections of the wires G and 162 suitably connected such as by means of Welding 108.

A second or connector panel H is provided which serves to connect the panel G to a studding I. The studding I can be of any shape and is of a T shape in cross section, as seen in FIGURE 6 for purposes of illustration.

Because the studding I has this shape the panel H has a central part 110 extending across an outer end of the studding I and has medial parts 113 extending upwardly to the panel G with terminal ends of the panel H connected to the panel G in a manner now to be described.

'Ihe connector panel H is called a panel for convenience of terminology and similarity to the connector panels of other moditications although actually its shape is much different.

The panel H has connector wires which are preferably disposed in approximate parallelism with each other and which are spaced apart preferably vertically when the studding I is vertical or horizontally when the studding I is horizontal.

The connector panel H has a plurality of transverse wires 122 extending transversely to the wires 120 and preferably at a right angle thereto. The transverse wires 122 are connected to the connector wires 120 by suitable means such as by welding 126 and the transverse wires 122 are spaced apart along the connector wires 120 with two of the transverse wires 122 preferably disposed on and connected to the wires 120. Two others of the transverse wires 122 are preferably disposed closely adjacent to and preferably engaging a rearward or studding I side of the panel G.

Each end of the connector panel H further has a transverse wire 122 located at a point spaced outwardly from the studding I from the last described transverse wire 122 a substantial distance.

These last two transverse wires 122 can be called wires x and y and they are spaced apart a substantial distance for accommodating a hook-like connection portion 130 of the connector panel therebetween.

Each connection wire 112 extends forwardly between the studding I and the transverse Wire x extends across the top of a primary wire 100 of the panel G, then extends downwardly in a hook-like connection portion 130 which is of V or U shape as seen in frontal elevation with its other end extending to and joining a terminal end portion 136 of the respective connector wire 112 which latter has the respective transverse wire y connected to it on its inner side which is the side adjacent the studding I.

The low end of each hook-like connection portion 130 is bent toward the transverse or vertical wires x and y sufficiently to underlap the respective primary wire 10b of the panel G and the hook-like connector portions 130 bind tightly against the members 136 of the panel G for rmly drawing the panel G up against the studding I to form a strong unitary structure as been seen in FIG- URE 6.

Referring to FIGURE 8 we see a fourth modification of the invention in which similar principles are used to attach two wall sections disposed in planes at a right angle to each other.

A first wall section generally indicated at K in FIG- URE 8 has a central portion extending from numeral 150 to numeral 152, which central portion can be relatively flat or planar in shape and is distinguishable from other portions of the wall section KThe said other portions of the said wall section K are the end portions which themselves form connector panels so similar to the connector panel 1t) of FIGURE l that similar terminology will be used in description thereof whereby in a sense the wall section K comprises connector panels L and M disposed at its opposite ends and a central section which can be labeled N from the points to the points 152.

First, the connector panel L will be described. The connector panel L comprises a plurality of connector wires156 which extend in approximately the same direc tion in preferable parallelism with each other and which are spaced apart as can be of Vertical spacing when the wall section K is vertical as shown in FIGURE 8. yConnector wires 152 have connection portions 163 relatively close but spaced from ends 162 of the connector wires 152. The connection portions 169 are offset from the remainder of the connector wires 156 -for providing hooks later described.

The connection panel portion L of the wall section K has at least two transverse wires 166 extending vertically in the illustration. The transverse wires 166 are disposed preferably at a right angle to the connector wires 156 Tand two of the ytransverse wires 166 as indicated by the letters O and P and are disposed one on each side of the central part 160 ofeach offset connection portion 160. Each of the vertical transverse wires O and P is attached to the respective connector wire 156 by suitable means fsuch as welding, as best seen at 174 on each side of the central part 170 of each offset connection portion 160. It is preferred although it is not critical that the transverse wires O and P be disposed inside o-f the ends of the connection portions 160.

The assembly of FIGURE 8 also has a second panel Q which can be in a plane if desired and the plane can be vertical as shown in FIGURE 8. The panel Q has at least two spaced primary wires 192 and 194 which preferably extend vertically or at least in approximately the same direction and the second panel Q also has spaced secondary wires 196 which are preferably vertically spaced, preferably extend in approximately the same direction and which are preferably horizontal and parallel.

The primary and secondary wires 196 and 192 and 194 are preferably disposed at a right angle to each other and are suitably connected together such as by means of welding 198 at their intersections.

The first and second panels K and Q are pressed in engagement such that the secondary wires 196 of panel Q engage the transverse wires O and P of panel portion L of the Wa-ll section K. The hook-like connector portions 160 of the panel portion L overlap ones of the horizontal secondary wires 196 of the second panel Q and extend downwardly across the opposite sides thereof with the lower ends of the connection portions 160 bent back toward the transverse vertical wires O and P in a way such as to form ahook similar to the hook-like connector portions 16 of FIGURE l whereby the hook-like connector portions 160 of FIGURE 8 underlap the respective under wires 156 for lapping around the top and bottom thereof, which is in another sense lapping around two opposite sides thereof. The hook-like connector portions 160 are bent sufliciently to draw the panel section L tightly against the panel Q for rigidly conecting the panel Q to the wall section K.

Referring to the left hand side of FIGURE 8, another panel portion S is there shown which is similar to the panel portion L above described and the connector panel portion S is adapted to be hooked to another vertical panel not shown.

It will be seen that the panel portion S has transverse members T and U which are disposed in a plane at a right angle to the plane of the central part N of the Wall section K and that the vertical transverse wires O and P of the connector L are also arranged in a plane disposed also at a right angle to the central portion N of the wall section K. The left hand side of the FIGURE 8 modification also shows that the connection panel portion S has many hook-like connector portions 2&0 similar to the hook-like connector portions 160 of the connector panel portion L.

As thus described, it will be seen that the modification of FIGURE 8 shows an effective way of connecting two wall sections together when the two wall section-s are at a right angle to each other.

I claim:

l. A Wire panel connection assembly comprising, a first panel having at least two spaced connector Wires having their main portions extending in approximately the same direction, said two connector wires having a connection portion adjacent but spaced from one end thereof, said connection portions being o-set from the remainder of said connector wires respectively, and said first panel having at least t-Wo transverse avires extending transversely to said connector Iwires and being disposed one on each side of the central part of each olfset connection portion and each being attached to each of said connector Wires on each side of the central part of said off-set connection portions, and second panel CII 6 having at least two spaced primary wires extending in approximately the same direction as each other and having spaced secondary wires extending transversely to said connector wires, said primary and secondary wires lbeing attached together at their points of intersection, said panels being in engagement and said off-set connection portions of said connector wires each extending between and lapping across two opposite sides of each of said primary wires of said second panel, said connection portions being of a hook shape as seen from an end wherebj they hook said panels together.

2. A Wire panel connection assembly as described in claim l in which said first and second panels are disposed in approximate parallelism with each other.

3. A Wire panel connection assembly as described in claim 1 in which said first and second p-anels are disposed in approximate parallelism, and further in which said connector wires of said rst panel have portions disposed on each side of said off-set portions which overlap across those transverse members of said second panel which are disposed closest to the respective said off-set connection portion.

4. The construction described in claim l in which another panel is disposed alongside of and lapping said first two panels, said other panel being disposed on the opposite side of said second panel from said first panel and in which certain wires of said third panel are disposed alongside of, parallel to and in engagement with primary wires of said second panel, and further in which the off-set connection portions of said first panel hook about the said parallel wires of said third panel also for binding said third panel to said first and second panels.

5. A wire panel connection assembly as described in claim l in which said first and second panels are disposed in approximate parallelism with each other, and further in which said first panel has second similar off-set connection portions each attached to one of .its connector wires and disposed alongside the first mentioned connection portion, and further in which said first panel has a third transverse wire disposed generally parallel to said first mentioned transverse wires of said lfirst panel and in which said third transverse wire is spaced therefrom and has ends of the wires of said second off-set connection portions attached to it, and further in which said second off-set connection portions extend across and hook upon other respective portions of the same Wires of said second and third panels which are held by the first mentioned off-set connection portions to provide additional binding of the second and third panels together firmly by means of the first panel.V

6. The construction described in claim l in which an elongated member is disposed against said second panel alongside of the off-set connection portions of said first panel and in which said second panel extends beyond opposite sides of said alongated member and further in which said first panel has extended portions of its connected wires extending about said elongated member transversely of the length of said elongated member and attached to said second panel on the said opposite side of said elongated member by means of the provision on said connector panel by means of a duplication of the structure described in claim l as regards the connector panel and in which the off-set connection pory tions of said duplication are firmly hooked about primary wires of said second panel which extend on said opposite side of said elongated member.

7. The construction defined in claim 1 in which said second panel lies substantially in a first plane and in which said transverse wires of said first panel lie in substantially a plane adjacent and parallel to the plane of said second panel and in which said connection wires extend away from the respective ones of said hooking portions a substantial distance and lie in a plane transv7 verse to the plane of said second panel, other transverse wires of said rst panel being disposed in spaced relation against, normal to, and connected to said extending portions of said connection wires of said first panel.

8. The connection assembly defined in claim l in which the outer ends of said offset portions bend upon and impinge the primary wires of said second panel for providing a rm connection to avoid looseness.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Douglass a l Ian. 1l, 1898 Bilbrey -a Dec. 25, 1923 Dean f lune 3, 1930 Hoose Aug. 20, 1957 Walsh July 8, 1958 

